Tag: Pavilion KL

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Tourism Malaysia

MALAYSIA SUPER SALE 

The Malaysia Super Sale will begin on 1 February until 15 March, offering shoppers 43 days of discounts and bargains at shopping malls and retail outlets nationwide.

The sale season coincides with significant celebrations including Valentine’s Day on 14 February as well as Chinese New Year on 16 and 17 February, thus providing ample opportunities for shoppers to make advanced preparations for the special day.

Shoppers can expect not only discounts of up to 70% on goods and services but also marvel at the gorgeous decorations put up at each shopping mall.

Among the shopping malls in the Klang Valley contributing towards the excitement of the sale, season is Pavilion KL, Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Putra Mall and Sungei Wang.

At Pavilion KL, the Chinese New Year decorations begin at the iconic landmark just outside the entrance of the mall at the Pavilion Crystal Fountain where shoppers can toss a coin to make a wish. Then step into the colorful gardens of the Main Entrance where flower blooms cascade from above “blessing” those who visit. Pavilion KL’s “Dream Garden of Prosperity” theme goes all out to bless its visitors with good wishes and prosperity. It’s all part of the Visit Pavilion KL 2018 campaign to encourage more people to stopover at the award-winning mall.

Meanwhile, Sunway Pyramid goes with “The Merriment of Spring” theme, rewarding shoppers with a chance to grab All-Season Prosperity Angpows and Reunion Dining Sets. A photo booth featuring a traditional tea house set-up is where shoppers can snap as many photos as they want. There is also a variety of stalls selling the usual Chinese New Year offerings such as beard candy, traditional candies, calligraphy, fresh flowers, and traditional costumes. Shoppers can also enjoy lion dance performances every Saturday at the Concourse.

Not to be outdone, Sunway Putra Mall will ring in the celebrations with its “Wind of Blessings” theme. Visit the Flower Market by Green Pasture selling bountiful blooms, or look out for festive essentials at the Spring Bazaar. Apart from that, there are also great deals and irresistible offers at RM8 at selected outlets. Lion dance performances and art and craft activities are also scheduled while the public are encouraged to toss their wishes at the Tree of Blessings for a special someone and the mall will grant selected wishes. To add to the festive atmosphere, there will be a “Mandarin Orange Eating Competition” for the public to participate and win amazing prizes.

Sungei Wang, one of the oldest shopping malls in KL, is also ready to usher in the year of Earth Dog with the theme “Sungei Wang Garden of Wealth” to spread wealth and prosperity to all its visitors. One of the main highlights at the mall is the Golden Money Tree Ang Pao Pick where shoppers have a chance to win the grand prize of RM888 cash if they are lucky enough to choose the right red envelope! Also not to be missed at the mall is the attempt by the QiLing Dragon Lion Dance Association to enter the Malaysia Book of Records for the title of Longest LED Dragon Dance. The dragon, at a whopping length of 668 feet, will be paraded around the entire Bukit Bintang area at 7pm on 3 February.

 

Other shopping malls are also going all out to make this sale season a spectacular one. Don’t forget to check out Fahreneit88 with their “Bundles of Luck” celebration; Intermark Mall with their “Streams of Harmony” theme; Suria KLCC with their daily prosperity giveaways; and more!

While shopping in Malaysia is considered one of the popular tourist activities due to the favorable exchange rate, quality of products and diversity of choice, the experience goes up a few notches during the three annual sale seasons in the country.

The other two sale seasons not to be missed are the Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival from 15 May to 31 July and the Malaysia Year End Sale from 1 November to 31 December this year.

To know more exciting events and promotion on Malaysia Super Sale at our local major malls, readers can log into Miss SHOPhia website (missshophia.malaysia.travel), follow her IG @miss_shoppia and do like her Facebook at www.facebook.com/missshophia.

Venue: Nationwide

Organiser: Shopping Secretariat Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia

Contact: +603 8891 8000

Fax: +603 8891 8449
Email: enq-megasales@tourism.gov.my
Website: missshophia.malaysia.travel

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Tourism Malaysia

A TROPICAL DECEMBER IN MALAYSIA

December is usually the favourite month of many, as families begin their school holidays, get ready to go on their year-end vacations, and celebrate the new year and the festivities. The festive mood is definitely “on” in Malaysia and you’ll find lots to do to mark the last month of the year.

For a start, December will see the final part of the 1Malaysia Year End Sale where shopping malls across the country make that last effort to attract shoppers with discounts and bargains galore. Bargain-hunters can flock to the malls and bring home cart-loads of merchandise. Don’t be put-off by the crowded malls – it’s just the last minute Christmas shoppers and overzealous parents getting ready for the new school year (Malaysian schools begin their annual term in January).

If you are heading south with your family, Legoland in Johor has special holiday activities in store. The “Snow” Village is set up to shower “snow” upon visitors for that wintry effect while the one-of-a-kind Christmas market will be selling various festive items not forgetting some unique festive themed Lego products. Special Christmas shows will also be performed as the resort counts down the days towards Christmas and lights up the tallest Christmas tree in Asia made entirely of DUPLO Blocks.

 

Meanwhile Resorts World Genting offers endless fun and joy up in the cool mountains of Pahang. Its School Holidays Package features the Monkey King Show: The Golden Hooped Rod that will enthrall audiences with exciting acrobatics, music, dance, magic tricks and amazing 3D effects.

And if you are a cartoon fan, Tour the World with Snoopy will feature everyone’s favourite beagle and the Peanuts gang parading around the hill-top resort in 52 custom-made international costumes of different countries and cultures. These colourful characters complete with Christmas tree floats will meet and greet visitors as they spread festive cheer at SkyAvenue and Genting Grand in their daily street parade.

While here, do pop in to SeniKome Péng Hēng, East Coast Arts Cultural Centre at the adjacent First World Plaza for a bit of a culture buzz. The 15,000 square foot gallery is dedicated to promoting the beauty of East Coast Malaysia’s local craft, fashion, games, food and music. Besides viewing the authentic artefacts and paintings, visitors can also watch performances such as the wayang kulit, and try their hand at folk games such as congkak, batu seremban and traditional hopscotch.

The multicultural Malaysia ensures that all races are equal and free to practise their traditions and rituals. The differences in language, culture, history and traditions, and the peaceful harmony among all races are, in fact, the very attractions that appeal to visitors and tourists from other countries. Certainly, December is the month to talk about how truly Asia Malaysia is.

Evidently, pre-Christmas countdown starts in shopping malls as early as in November. Nationwide, and especially in Kuala Lumpur, the spirit of Yuletide is in the air as hotels and shopping malls get decked out in reds and greens, Christmas trees, “snow,” and colourful baubles, and Santas, Santarinas and their elves make an appearance. While Christmas songs get extra airplay at this time of year, the carollers, too, warm up their vocal cords for some festive singing. Catch all this at your favourite shopping malls (highly recommended are Pavilion KL, Suria KLCC, Intermark Mall and Mid Valley Megamall) or nearby hotels.

 

For tourists who find themselves in tropical Malaysia during the Christmas festivities and wish to attend mass to mark the special day, there are plenty of churches of various denominations to head to. In the capital city stands the famous Cathedral of St John The Evangelist, with its white-washed walls, twin spires and stained glass windows, a favourite for many tourists, expatriates as well as the regular parishioners. It was erected in 1883 in the heart of Bukit Nanas, and has become one of the national monuments that remains of the British administration of Malaysia.

And as the final day of the year descends upon us, what better way to greet the new year than with a spectacular fireworks show? Well, in Kuala Lumpur, there are a couple of places that offer “front-row seats” to a great fireworks show. Go early to book a spot on the lawns of Merdeka Square or KLCC Park. Alternatively, take in a nice dinner and late night drinks at the city’s rooftop bars such as Troika Sky Dining and Sky Bar, before the light show starts!

 

Venue:  Various, nationwide

Date:  Whole December

Categories
Wonderful Malaysia

Orange Pekoe

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Orange Pekoe is a popular guesthouse within the Bukit Bintang area in the center of Kuala Lumpur. The guesthouse was originally named The Nest, but decided on a name change after other guesthouses (of less quality) decided to use the same name. The guesthouse is located at a very good spot in the center of KL, at walking distance of several sights. The Bukit Bintang area is especially popular due to the large amount of shopping malls. The very popular shopping center Pavilion KL is at no more than a 5 minute walk from the guesthouse.

The guesthouse is pretty basic, but they have thought thoroughly about what a budget traveler wants. You have free Wi-Fi, a shared fridge, coffee- and tea facilities and a large offer of brochures and information flyers on all the attractions and sightings within the city.

The rooms are very nice. They all come with air-conditioning, and most the rooms have their own shower and toilet. A few rooms share these facilities, but the price for a night’s stay is also much lower. When you leave you can simply leave the room key at the reception desk, so you won’t lose it.

Breakfast at Orange Pekoe is pretty basic. Actually it isn’t that special, you are better off going to one of the many shopping centers after 10am, since there are many better spots to have breakfast at. If you want a simple sandwich, or just a snack, go visit The Loaf at the front entrance Pavilion KL. If you enjoy a good cup of coffee, Espressament Illy is a great coffee place at the left side of the Pavilion KL main entrance. In most shopping malls you will find dozens of good restaurants, where they often have a lunch menu as well.

Orange Pekoe is located near the popular nightlife area known as Changkat Bukit Bintang. When you cross the street from the guesthouse, you will find several nice western restaurants and bars along the main road, Jalan Changkat Bukit Bintang. Several meters away from the guesthouse you will find a few good Mamak restaurants. Our favorite Mamak restaurant is Bahdushah. It is located at Jalan Nagasari, which is right across from the Parkroyal Serviced Suites and the Istana Hotel.

From the guesthouse you will get to the monorail station Raja Chulan within a 5 minutes’ walk. You can easily take the monorail to KL Sentral from here, which will also lead you to the train going to the airport, or the metro which will lead you to other attractions (such as Chinatown, KLCC and even the Batu Caves). From the guesthouse you can walk to the back entrance of Pavilion KL within 5 minutes, where the walking tunnel (elevated and covered) between Bukit Bintang and KLCC begins. This way it is only a 10-15 minute walk to the Petronas Twin Towers, and to the popular shopping mall Suria KLCC. Near the previous mentioned Changkat Bukit Bintang lies Jalan Alor, a popular foodstreet with many local hawkers. In this area you will also find several shopping centers (like the popular IT/gadget mall Plaza Low Yat, Sungei Wang and Berjaya Times Square).

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Wonderful Malaysia

Christmas in Malaysia

I am traveling in Malaysia during Christmas, what can I expect?

When someone mentions ‘Christmas’, snow, decorated pine trees, presents and of course, Santa Claus comes to mind. It’s close to impossible to have a white Christmas in Malaysia but this doesn’t mean that the celebrations are less festive, for Christmas is celebrated the Malaysian way!

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Many look forward to the Christmas decorations put up by the shopping malls. The set up is certainly pretty with gigantic Christmas trees; some are even as tall as six storeys and are heavily decked with baubles, candy canes and angels. The malls change their theme each year and try to outdo each other, only to our benefit. One year, we had one mall ‘scattered’ with life-sized teddy bears in line with their ‘Beary Christmas’ theme while another had real fake ‘snow’ falling, leading to an elderly man exclaiming, ‘Wow, there’s snow, there’s snow!’. We were actually there the first time Pavilion KL started this snowwy tradition. Hundreds came to the square in front of the mall, to see the snow coming down (it was actually a soap-like substance, but nobody minded and everybody had a great time).

As Christmas approaches, don’t be surprised to find the Christmas spirit in even the non-Christians. Malaysians from all walks of life spend the Christmas holidays visiting their friends with their families. At Christmas countdowns in selected locations, you can see people enjoying the festive cheer and wishing each other happy holidays and Merry Christmas.

You can see people wearing the signature red cap of St Nicholas and grooving to the beat of Christmas songs. There is even caroling in some malls and the audience are from different walks of life and religion too. At the workplace, colleagues organize a secret Santa event to exchange gifts, where every member of the team shares the spirit of giving, regardless of status, age or race. Christmas is not exclusively for Christians here in Malaysia but it’s celebrated by all in their own unique way without disrespecting their own religion.

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Most Malaysians, celebrating or not, flock to the shopping malls – a typical Malaysian past time. There, they enjoy the activities and events organized by the malls and even do some shopping, taking advantage of the Christmas and Year End Sale. On the night of Christmas eve, when the clock strikes twelve, various locations perform firework displays to welcome Christmas with a bang. Malaysians flock to these locations earlier during the day to get good spots to view the magnificent displays of fireworks. As usual, you can find Malays, Indians, Chinese and even foreign visitors enjoying the show together. In Malaysia, you don’t need to be a Christian to enjoy Christmas and have the holiday spirit in you.

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In Malaysia, Christmas is only celebrated on Christmas Eve. The actual first day of Christmas is often business as usual for many Malaysians. The lush decorations cannot be taken down soon enough after Christmas, as then all the mall will repeat the same ‘contest’ for the nearing New Years Eve (which is immediately followed by Chinese New Year preparations). The is no second day of Christmas, as this is only custom in a few countries in the world. Many restaurants have special Christmas Eve menus. This is your chance to eat out at a fancy restaurant, as due to competition prices are often very low. Usually western oriented restaurants also have a special Christmas menu for the 25th of December.

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Many expats in KL take a few days of holiday during Christmas, to travel to a nice destination within Malaysia. Though it is quite fun to spend Christmas at one of the islands of Malaysia, for example at Langkawi or Penang, the most popular place in Malaysia to visit around Christmas is Cameron Highlands. The highlands have a cold(er) climate, and the setting is perfect to replicate that cold Christmas Eve. Many hotels and resorts are fully booked during Christmas, so make sure you book beforehand. This goes especially for the more exclusive and romantic places. Three very popular places to stay overnight during Christmas are The Smokehouse Hotel ***, The Lakehouse **** and Cameron Highlands Resort *****.

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GOKL free city bus service

Now you can travel for free between Suria KLCC and Bukit Bintang, and between Bukit Bintang and Chinatown! There’s even free on board Wi-Fi.

GOKL free city bus service is meant to serve the Kuala Lumpur Central Business District (CBD). It was launched to help improve public mobility in the areas KLCC, Bukit Bintang and Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur. Tourists will love the new bus service, as it provides an alternative to the high taxi prices in and around KLCC. Often taxi drivers in this area of KL are reluctant to drive on the meter. Tourists pay fixed prices which sometimes are ten times higher than what it should have been when driving on the meter.

The free city bus service has been in operation since August 31, 2012 and it serves two main routes called the Green and Purple Line. Travelers can hop on and off at numerous official GOKL City Bus stops, many of these located conveniently near attractions, shopping malls, fb areas or connecting modes of transport (like the monorail and LRT).

The Green Line commutes between KLCC and Bukit Bintang. Besides the newly opened pedestrian sky tunnel, travelers now have a second option to travel from one section of the center of KL to the other. This bus route has a stop in front of Suria KLCC (where you also have the iconic Petronas Twin Towers) and Starhill/Pavilion KL (along Bukit Bintang) and numerous other interesting stops along the way. For example, stop nr.5 is in front of the entry road towards the KL Tower, a popular attraction in KL. There is also a stop near Lot10 and Sungei Wang, right smack in the middle of Bukit Bintang.

Map Green Line Free GOKL Bus

The Purple Line takes travelers from the Bukit Bintang area to Chinatown and back. You can get on the bus in front of Pavilion KL, and you can get out at the Central Market, or directly in Chinatown. Travelers that arrive (or depart) by bus at Pudu Sentral can use the Purple Line to travel free of charge to the Bukit Bintang and KLCC area. There currently are a total of 15 buses on the GO-KL service and each can accommodate up to 60 people per bus. Outside of rush hours there should be a bus every five to fifteen minutes. Each bus will provide easy accessibility for the disabled, such as wheelchair ramps. Free Wi-Fi is provided for the convenience of tech savvy travelers. The GOKL bus service operates between 6am and 11pm daily.

Map Purple Line Free GOKL Bus

All in all this new service is a great development for KL citizens, but also for foreign tourists. The bus routes are located within areas where there normally weren’t that many alternative ways to travel besides the – often expensive – taxi. The stop at Bukit Bintang (Ain Arabia near Lot10 shopping mall) functions as a hub where you can switch lines seamlessly. There are plans to launch even more free GOKL bus routes in the near future.

You can download the .pdf with the current routes here.

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